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2015–17 Irish gangland feud
A major feud between two criminal gangs in the Republic of Ireland has killed ten people. The Hutch gang, led by Gerry Hutch, and the Kinahan gang, led by Christy Kinahan, are the main participants. Timeline ;Murder of Gary Hutch, 24 Sep 2015 Gary Hutch, 34, was a nephew of Gerry Hutch and a prominent gangland figure. He was shot dead in an apartment complex near Marbella in Spain on 24 September 2015. It is believed he was shot dead by the Kinahan gang. His brother Derek Hutch was assaulted twice in prison in late 2015. ;Murder of Darren Kearns, 30 Dec 2015 Darren Kearns was shot in front of his wife shortly after he left the Phoenix Chinese restaurant on Blackhorse Avenue. He had convictions for drug dealing and spent time in prison. The Irish Times mentioned speculation that the Kinahan gang had mistakenly thought that he and David Douglas were behind a botched murder attempt of a member of the gang in November. ;Regency Hotel attack, 5 Feb 2016 On 5 February 2016 there was to be a boxing match for the WBO European Lightweight title between Jamie Kavanagh and Antonio João Bento at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin. At the weigh-in there was an organised armed attack; the match was cancelled after the shooting. There were at least four attackers with masks, army style-helmets and flak jackets, two of whom were disguised as members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and armed with AK-47s. An associate of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne (32) was shot dead; security sources said that the gang had intended to kill others. Two men were injured and taken to the Mater Private Hospital and Beaumont Hospital. It is believed that Daniel Kinahan, the son of Christy Kinahan, was the intended target, but had left early. After the attack, security camera recordings suggested that six people had been involved, including a man disguised as a woman. The attackers escaped in a Ford Transit van which was later found burnt-out. On 18 May 2016 Patrick Hutch, the brother of Gary Hutch, was charged at the Criminal Courts of Justice with the murder of David Byrne. His trial for murder and possession of firearms was later set for January 2018 at the non-jury Special Criminal Court; he was denied bail. ;Murder of Eddie Hutch Snr, 8 Feb 2016 Eddie Hutch Snr was shot dead at his home on 8 February 2016. He was an uncle of Gary Hutch. The motive for his death is suspected to be revenge for the death of David Byrne. ;Murder of Noel Duggan, 23 Mar 2016 Noel Duggan was shot dead while sitting in his car outside his home in Ratoath, County Meath. He was friends with Gerry Hutch from his youth and was nicknamed "Kingsize" because of his cigarette smuggling. ;Murder of Martin O'Rourke, 14 April 2016 Martin O'Rourke was shot dead on 14 April 2016 on Lower Sherrif Street, Dublin. His murder is believed to be a case of mistaken identity and part of the Kinehan-Hutch feud. ;Murder of Michael Barr, 25 April 2016 Michael Barr was shot dead on 25 April 2016. He was shot in the Sunset Bar in Summerhill, Dublin. An Garda Síochána suspect he was killed by the Kinahan gang because of involvement with the shooting of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. ;Arrest of two Kinahan associates, 18 June 2016 Two men in their thirties were arrested by armed members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau on the Naas Dual carriageway. A Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun was found in one mans' car. Both were linked to the Kinehan gang and one was a close associate of David Byrne and Gardaí believe they were planning to shoot someone. ;Murder of Gareth Hutch, 24 May 2016 Gareth Hutch was shot several times by two attackers in a carpark near where he lived. He was a minor figure in the criminal world. ;Murder of David Douglas, 1 July 2016 David Douglas was shot outside a shop he ran with his wife in Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8. He had survived being shot the previous November. ;Murder of Trevor O'Neill, 17 August 2016 Trevor O'Neill from Drimnagh was shot in a case of mistaken identity in Costa de la Calma, near Magaluf. He was shot five times in front of his family. Gardaí believe that he was mistaken for a member of the Hutch family by the Kinahan gang. He worked for Dublin City Council. ;Murder of Noel Kirwan, 21 December 2016 Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, a close associate of Gerry Hutch, was shot dead in front of his partner outside his house in Ronanstown in west Dublin. It is believed he was killed simply because of his association with the Monk, as he was photographed talking to him at Eddie Hutch's funeral in February 2016.http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/noel-duck-egg-kirwan-gunned-12365690 In May 2017, a man and woman in their 20s were arrested in north county Dublin then questioned at Lucan and Blanchardstown Garda stations. They were reported to have been acting as "spotters" for the Kinahans to pay off a drug debt. The role of "spotter" includes contacting the Kinahans when the target is spotted. Jason Keating, a 25 year old from Rush, was brought to Blanchardstown District Court under armed escort on 8 May 2017. Detective Sergeant Damien Gannon told the court that Keating had been charged with the murder at Lucan Garda station, but that he had said nothing after caution. Judge David McHugh remanded the accused to appear before Cloverhill District Court the following Friday. Legal aid was granted to Keating. In a murder case in the Republic of Ireland, bail can only be granted in the High Court. A woman in her 20s who had been arrested in connection in the investigation was released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. ;Knife attack on Tom Fox, March 2017 Tom Fox, on remand in Mountjoy Prison in relation to the shooting dead of Gareth Hutch was attacked, along with another inmate, suffering multiple stab wounds. ;Arrest of three Kinahan associates, 4 April 2017 An Irish man in his thirties, another aged 58, and 58-year-old Estonian man Imre Arakas were arrested by armed members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau in Blakestown, west Dublin. It is believed the Estonian may be a hired killer, brought into the country by the Kinahan gang to continue the feud. Drugs and a list of Hutch associates were found. Only Mr Arakas was charged. ;James Gateley shot, 10 May 2017 James Gateley, a 29-year-old long-term friend of Gary Hutch who had fled Dublin and settled in Belfast, was shot by a lone gunman in his car in North Dublin. It is believed a bullet-proof vest he was wearing saved his life. References Category:Conflicts in 2015 Category:Conflicts in 2016 Category:Conflicts in 2017 Category:2015 in Ireland Category:2016 in Ireland Category:2017 in Ireland Category:Crime in the Republic of Ireland Category:Organized crime conflicts in Ireland Category:Crime in Spain